Very true Odd to spend well over £13m on two top strikers but then not improve significantly the supply line to them. Plus if we can sign a really good ACM, that automatically takes some pressure off the defence, because it enables us to retain possession much higher up the pitch and causes the opposing defence to be under more pressure than our own.
If I'm being honest I personally don't see the need for another CB, I think the options we have are as good as any club in the bottom half and would find it very, very harsh to relegate Ryan Bennett down to fourth choice. I still think he should be starting actually, I'm sure he would be in a lot of other Premiership teams this season.
I wouldn't say he is any better than Bennett, he is more experienced though, I'm also not sure he would want to be loaned out just to act as cover for another team. I agree I would rather we signed an attacking midfielder, but loan options for CB and a winger could be useful.
i think we can always improve our defence, if there are options, given our defensive record this season.
This is just a suggestion but how about looking to take someone like Kevin de Bruyne on loan from Chelsea? He has only played 3 times in the league I think and at 22 has already played 18 games for the Belgium's national side. I think he is the sort of player that has more quality than we currently have, can play CAM as well as winger and theres no reason why he wouldnt be getting plenty of games in the PL if he came to us for the rest of the season which would benefit chelsea if they decided to keep him themselves or sell him in the summer. Thoughts anyone?
I would love to see this happen. Hard to say how realistic a prospect it is though. You're right in saying his playing opportunities are rather limited at Chelsea - it's just a case of whether he'd consider playing for us, and also what wage contribution/fee Chelsea would want from us.
I think he's got his sights on a loan move to the Bundesliga unfortunately as I agree he would be (potentially) a very good acquisition.
There are a several players at Chelsea that we could look at bringing in on loan. They may be willing to loan out Van Ginkel when he recovers from his injury? Not sure how long term it was? Are Piazon and Thorgan Hazard out on loan?
I would agree with Munky, although he would be fantastic addition and I would love to see him here on loan, I think he wants to go back to the Bundesliga, especially with Leverkusen supposedly interested.
The way Hughton has played our centre backs, though, is that Bennett is currently our "second-choice left-sided/quick skillful CB". We only had both Bassong and Bennett as our partnership when Turner was injured. I would be looking to bring in a more skillful version of Turner - making Turner our "second-choice right-sided/big CB" (and in fact, I think, more likely to be fourth-choice as Bennett would be on the bench ahead of Turner). Based on our current system, I don't see how that would demote Bennett. My reasoning is that a bit more controlled, clever build-up play from the back will allow for considerably more time for our midfield/forwards - the key is not jsut getting the midfield to receive a pass, but getting them to receive it with lots of time and space so that they can get their head up and do something with it. I don't feel Turner brings this as a CB
Which, by the way, was the role I had envisaged for Ayala, but it seems he might not make the grade. EDIT: actually just checked his contract on transfermarkt and it seems he will be with us until August 2015, so I suppose there is plenty of time for him to prove himself
We were linked with a player from Scandinavia a couple of months back who's meant to be a top prospect and is free to leave in January. He plays as a ACM but can also play wide.... Can't remember his blinking name though. Think he plays for malmo.
Isn't he their captain? Maybe they can be our 'Scandinavian Leeds' (in that we sign their captains). EDIT - oh just saw your Hoffenheim comment.
